‘ munities
6 The Lovell Chronicle 1 January 7, 2021
LEGISLATURE: FLITNER
continued from page one
Lawmakers will have
work to do on the state’s
finances; The Consensus
Revenue Estimating Group
(CREG) report issued in
October projected a $451.1
million shortfall in the
state’s general fund and an
education shortfall of ap—
proximately $300 million.
Taken to ether, it’s a gulf
of more t an $750 million.
Flitner doesn’t know
what’s going to happen,
noting that the Revenue
Committee did not move
any legislation from their
interim work that would
address revenue genera—
tion. In addition, the gover-
nor made extensive budget
cuts and Appropriations
backed those recommen-
dations with , additional
cuts, but nothing extreme.
“I still get the sense
that W 0min citizens do
not be ieve t ey need to
help pay for the services
they enjoy and are 0p-
posed to any tax increas—
es that might help with
the shortfal facing man
of our agencies,” she sai .
“Yes, more cuts are ex—
pected and there are also
cuts proposed in the most
legislation.”
Flitner will not be sub-
mitting anyof her own leg-
islation but has co—si ned
a couple of pieces an has
pending requests. In addi-
tion to chairing the TRW,
she’s also been select-
ed to serve on the Labor,
Health and Social Services
Committee.
As she looks ahead to
the new year, Flitner said,
“I hope that we logically
address our budget crises.
We must fund education,
healthcare, corrections
and highways. Coal is not
coming back, and there
doesn’t appear to be a new
‘boom’ to save us.
“Therefore we are fi-
nally faced with very dif—
ficult decisions. We can
only count on our invest-
ment returns and income
from existing taxes to car-
rly us so far. We’re burning
t rough our savings ac—
counts, and I don’t see a
way out of this without a
balance of both options.”
To View Tuesday’s leg-
islative proceedings, visit
www.wyoleg.gov.
The governor’s State
of the State will be live-
streameg separately on the
channel starting at 2 pm,
Business Council launches
Thrive Survive Campaign
SHERIDAN (WNE) —
The Wyoming Business
Council launched a Thrive
> Survive Campaign, fea—
turing Wyoming stories
where innovation, lots of
elbow grease and working
together have helped com-
and business-
es weather the pandemic,
sometimes even growing
stronger, according to a
press release.
The Thrive > Survive
Campaign spotlights resil—
iency stories from a variety
of Wyoming communities,
pro rams and businesses
at t rivewyomingorg.
These stories serVe as
examples pr how Wypming
VACCINE AT NBHH
“Once the Wyoming
Department of Health re—
leases the vaccination or—
der for the public, North
Big Horn. Hospital Dis—
trict will be publicizing our
community vaccination
plan in various media,” Ko—
ritnik said.
According to the inter-
im draft of the statewide
COVlD-19 vaccination plan
published by the Wyoming
Department of Health, the
vaccination rollout will be
carried out in three phases.
Phase 1 will vaccinate
healthcare personnel like—
ly to be exposed to or treat
people with COVlD-19 be—
fore prioritizing people at
increased risk for severe
illness from COVID—19, in-
cluding people with un—
derlying medical condi-
tions, people 65 years of
age and older and essential
workers.
Phase 2,will vaccinate
critical populations, which
will be additional critical
workers, people with un-
derlying conditions, those
in congregate settings and
people with limited access
to vaccination services, the
department of health draft
reads.
“As vaccine supply con-
tinues to increase in Phase
2,, the WDH will approve
other providers to begin
ordering COVID—19 vaccine
and vaccinating additional
critical pbpulations as well
as the general public,” the
draft reads.
In defining who fits
under the umbrella of the
term critical populations,
the plan states that, “the
(Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practic-
es) will provide prioriti—
can move forward. The un-
precedented challenges in
2020 have reinforced the
necessity to go beyond just
survival mode and lay the
groundwork to be more re-
silient and thrive.
WBC plans to add
more features in the com—
ing months. Anyone with
an‘ uplifting story to share
can submit his ideas on the
website.
Do you have a story
from your community or
know of a business who has
shown resilience, creativ-
ity and innovation during
these challenging times?
WBC staff wants to hear
about it.
continued from page one
zation recommendations
based on a number of fac-
tors, including the need to
maintain those elements
of community infrastruc-
ture that are essential to
carrying out the pandemic
response; limiting mortali-
ty among high-risk groups
and reduction of morbid-
ity in the community; and
minimizing social disrup—
tion and economic losses.”
Finally, in Phase 3, the
vaccine will be made avail—
able to the general public.
“Vaccine will be
available to all enrolled
COVID-19 vaccination pro-
viders and ordering will be
based on provider capacity
and need, the plan reads.
COVlD-19 IN NBHH
After contending with
four COVlD-19 patients in
the hos ital last week, the
hospita is currently only
treating one patient this
week, Koritnik said.
Seven” staff are, cur-
rently out ill with COVID-19
symptoms with three addi—
tional staff out on quaran—
tine, according to Koritnik.
Since the beginning of the
pandemic, 64 NBHH staff
have tested positive for the
virus.
The New Horizons
Care Center still stands at
zero positive cases among
residents.
The levels of COVID-19
within Big Horn County are
still cause for concern, ac-
cording to Infection Pre—
vention nurse Emily Nebel.
“Our county positivity
rate is back up to 22.5 per-
cent,” Nebel said. “We are
still in the yellow'as this is
based on tests performed
in a day, but this is still re-
ally hig .”
Neves new comm
BY BARBARA ANNE GREENE
The first order of busi-
ness when the Jan. 5 Big
Horn County Commission—
er meeting was called to or-
der at 9 am. was the nomi-
nation for chair.
Commissioner Felix
Carrizales, who has been
the chair for the past four
years, nominated Dave
Neves for the position. The
newly sworn—in commis-
sioner, Bruce Jolley, sec—
onded the motion.
Carrizales said he talk-
ed to Neves prior to nom—
inating him, to make, sure
that Neves wanted to take it
on. Neves indicated he was
ready.
At 8:45 a.m., Dis—
trict Court Clerk Serena
Lipp swore Jolley in as a
commisswner.
ROAD/BRIDGE/ENGINEERING
Big Horn County res—
ident Boyd Van Fleet and
John Koller appeared be—
fore the commission for an
ongoing discussion regard-
ing Lane 35. Van Fleet and
Koller came to a meeting in
2019 to discuss the Lane. ‘
Van Fleet presented his
reasons and his documen-
' for believin that the
tatlogE—ninn in 901% had Va-
cated the road.
County Deput At—
torney Jennifer Kir , land
planner Nick Kruger, South
Road & Bridge Supervisor
Shannon Hovey and act—
ing county engineer Thom-
as Bridges also took part in
the discussion.
After considerable dis—
cussion, the commission
directed Kruger and Kirk
to compile the documen—
tation they found in the re-
cords and send it to Van
Fleet. The commission told
Van Fleet that he and Koller
‘ could come back to discuss
the findings at a later date.
In other department
reports Hovey and north
end supervisor Eric Mann
gave updates on their
departments.
New County Commissioner Bruce Jolle
commission meeting.
Kandi Dooley, from
TCT, told the commission
that the compan had got-
ten all the work one in the
CARES Act project. TCT is
goin to continue to ex—
pan their covera e area
with the company unding
the project.
lCS TEAM UPDATE
Emergency coordina—
tor LaRae Dobbs gave an
update on vaccines in the
county. She said the county
received 600 doses for Jan— ‘
uary. They will receive new
dOSes each month. Like the
Wyoming? Department of
Health, the county is fo-
cused on Phase 1A priori-
ties. According to the Dept.
of Health “Priority groups
for Phase 1A in Wyoming
include healthcare work—
ers with regular potential
for exposure to COVID-19
patients or infectious ma-
terials, residents and staff
of long-term care facilities,
assisted living facilities and
residential care facilities for
people with intellectual or
developmental disabilities.”
A special, targeted ef—
fort involving pharmacy
chains to help vaccinate
residents of many Wyoming
nursing homes and assisted
living facilities is planned
for early January.
Dobbs said the team is
prepping toward Phase 1B
priOrities, which are ener-
ally described as inc uding
people who are 80 years of
age and older and frontline
essential workers who must
interact with the public and
are unable to consistent~
1y physically distance from
ission chair, Jolley sworn in
‘ BARBARA ANNE GREENE
y takes the oath of office at the Jar-1.5
others. *
OTHER BUSINESS ,
- Treasurer Becky Lind-
sey presented the 2021
depositories.
- The commissioners
made Weed and Pest ap-
pointments: June Booth,
Kie Miller, Tim Beck and
Janalee Call. '
- Kruger gave his de-
partment report. He noted
2020 was the busiest year
ever for Land Planning.
Gregory Kennett, Des-
sa Dale and Kelsey O’Neill
from DJ&A were appoint-
ed to represent the county
in the BLM Grazing Regu—
lations/ Environmental Im-
pact Statement.
- A re uest to build a
hanger at t e south airport
for a private jet was dis—
cussed and approved.
From our files Government shutdown reaches 20 days in 1996
' 100 Years Ago, Jan. 7, 1921
The Cowley Progress
Tradition will give way
to progress next March 4,
when Warren G. Harding
as the new President of the
United States heads the in-
augural parade up Pennsyl—
vania Avenue. Announce-
ment has been made that
Senator Harding has decid-
ed to use an automobile for
his ride from the Capitol to
the White House instead of
a carriage, the type of con—‘
veyance used by every pres-
ident with the exception of
Andrew Jackson since the
inauguration of Thomas
Jefferson. President Jack—
son rode horseback.
75 Years Ago, Jan. 10, 1946
g Lovell Chronicle
e are glad to learn
that Lt. Smith Shumway,
who gave his eyesight for
his country, is now re-
ceiving the highest praise
for his work of speaking
to school children under
the auspices of the Junior
Red Cross.
50 Years Ago, Jan. 7, 1971
The Lovell Chronicle
Bill Koontz, who just
celebrated his 96th birth—
day, recalls that there
were many houses in need
of paint in those Depres-
sion days and that much
of Main Street was “lit-
tle wood buildings.” There
were no houses for rent,
and so he hauled the nu—
cleus of his present home
on Jersey Avenue in from
an abandoned coal mine
nearby. He bought the pool
hall, which he operated un-
til 1944, when he sold it and
bought a row of a artments
on Idaho Ave. T ese were
sold in 1965 to Frank Wilk—
erson. Koontz still keeps
things up around the place
and may be seen driving
to town in his 1957 mod-
el car most days. His only
concession to his advanced
age, it seems, is to preface
most discussions of the fu—
ture with the words, “If I’m
around...”
25 Years, Ago, Jan. 4,
The Lovell Chronicle
Operations at the Big—
horn Canyon National Rec—
reation Area continue with
a minimum of personnel
with the government shut-
down going into its 20th
day on Thursday, the lon-
gest in history.
A dedication ceremony
and open house for the By-
ron Seminary Building will
be held Jan. 14.
10 Years Ago, Jan. 6, 2011
The Lovell Chronicle
The Hen House had a
great 2010 Christmas retail
season, according to new
owner John Lafko, who has
been one of a few retailers
selling at the Hen House,
which was owned by Kath-
leen Orton until Jan. 1, 2011,
when Lafko took over. ’
